Feeding means for duplicating machine



Oct. 29, 1963 9 E. M. SPRINGER 3,103,458

FEEDING MEANS FOR DUPLICATING MACHINE Original Filed Feb. 26, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet l hue/fian- Edward [4. S O/L'QQcQF 7 gm, M 6W I HZ'Z 'QS.

Oct. 29, 1963 E. M. SPRINGER 3,108,458

I FEEDING MEANS FOR DUPLICATING MACHINE Original Filed Feb. 26, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Estes Claims. (Cl. 64-27) The present application is a division of my co-pending application, Serial No. 795,747, filed February 26, 1959, now Patent No. 3,063,711, issued November 13, 1962.

The present invention relates to duplicating machines and more particularly feed means utilized for feeding copy sheets from the usual feed table into the duplicating machine.

In duplicating machines generally, a stack of copy sheets is placed on a feed table mounted in the duplicating machine, and the sheets are fed from the stack, singly, to the machine. Means is included for feeding the sheets, While means is also utilized for controlling the stack of sheets so that only the single top sheet is fed at a time and the remaining sheets are held against removal.

In mechanisms of this general kind, the feeding means is arranged for imposing a certain predetermined friction pressure on the top copy sheet, which is of course necessary in order to remove that copy sheet. For best results, the pressure exerted by the feeding means should be varied according to the weight or thickness of the copy sheets being used. For example, greater pressure should be used in the case of heavy copy sheets than in the case of lighter or thinner sheets, since a given pressure for heavy sheets may result in more than one light sheet being fed at a time, while on the other hand, a pressure set for light sheets may not affect feeding of heavy sheets at all. Heretofore, there has not been an entirely satisfactory means for varying the pressure of the feeding means of the general type involved.

Regardless of the kind of copy sheets used, i.e., whether heavy or light, it is important to provide a high degree of friction in the feeding means.

It is additionally dmirable that the feeding means, such as wheels in the present case, be adjustable so as to enable positioning them at the edges of different sized copy sheets.

A broad object of the invention is to provide novel feeding means for feeding copy sheets in a duplicating machine.

A further object is to provide novel feed wheels for gripping the top copy sheet of the stack and feeding it to the duplicating machine, and a shaft for dem-ountably supporting the feed wheels and for supporting them for adjustment therealong Another object is to provide feeding means of the foregoing general character, including a shaft and wheels thereon, of novel construction for enabling adjusting the wheels along the shaft.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of a duplicating machine embodying the features of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a diagrammatic view of a portion of the interior of the duplicating machine, orientated in a vertical fore-and-aft direction, showing certain of the essential operating members of the machine;

FIGURE 3 is a front elevational view of the feed wheels and shaft shown in FIGURE 1 and constituting the principal structure embodying the features of the invention;

FIGURE 4 is a view taken on line 44 of FIGURE 3;

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atent C) FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken on line 66 of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a view similar to FIGURE 4 but with the mounting shaft omitted;

FIGURE 8 is a View oriented according to FIGURE 7, but showing only the central portion of the wheel and with the insert elements omitted;

FIGURE 9 is a perspective view of a portion of one end of the shaft on which the feed wheels are mounted; and

FIGURE 10 is a sectional view taken on line 10'10 of FIGURE 3.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, attention is directed first to FIGURES l and 2 for a representation of the duplicating machine as a whole in which the pressure control means of the present invention is incorporated. The particular kind of duplicating machine utilized for carrying out the objects of the invention is not an essential part of the invention except that the invention is applied to a kind of duplicating machine having means for feeding copy sheets from a feed table into the machine. By way of example, the duplicating machine here illustrated is of the kind illustrated in full and claimed in my copending application Serial No. 661,460 filed May 24, 1957, now Patent No. 2,975,707, issued March 21, 1961.

Such duplicating machine is indicated at 16 and as illustrated in FIGURE 1 includes a pair of spaced-apart side plates 18 forming the main portion of a framework for supporting the other parts of the machine. Mounted in and between the side plates are such instrumentalities as a drum 20, a fluid tank 22, a driving motor 24, as well as feed means 26 forming the principal portion of the embodiment of the present invention.

'Outwardly of and mounted on the side plates 13 are housing members 28 for enclosing certain operating parts mounted on the outer sides of the side plates.

Referring again to the duplicating machine itself, attention is directed to FIGURE 2 which shows diagrammatically the main operating parts within the machine utilized for imprinting on the copy sheets as they are passed through the machine. In FIGURE 2, the drum 2t) referred to above is shown, this drum being utilized for securing a master thereon in a suitable manner. Cooperating with the drum 2(} is an impression roll 32. Adjacent the drum and impression roll in anterior direction with respect to the direction of passage of copy sheets through the machine, is a pair of cooperating rolls which include a moistening roll 34 and a pressure roll 36. A stack of copy sheets 38 is placed on a feed table 40 and is fed into the machine for passage between the rolls 34 and 36, and thereafter between the drum 20 and roll 32. The roll 34 is for the purpose of moistening each copy sheet as it passes thereby, and the two rolls 34 and 36 together grip the copy sheet therebetween and feed it to the drum 20 and roll 22. Thereafter, rotation of the drum 20 and roll 32 feeds the copy sheet therebetween and subsequent to making an impression thereon from the master on the drum, the copy sheet is discharged into a suitable receiving tray (not shown).

The copy sheets 38 on the feed table upon being fed successively therefrom into the machine, are guided into proper relation to the rolls 34 and 36 by means of d= flectors 42 and 44 extending transversely across the machine and forming a concave receiving and deflecting zone operative for guiding the leading edges of the copy sheets between terminal portions 46 of the deflectors which are positioned for guiding the sheets to the bight of the rolls 34 and 36. I

The feed means 26 referred to above includes a pair of feed wheels 48 mounted on a rotatable shaft 50 which extends through arcuate slots 52 (FIGURE 2) in the side plates 18 for up and down movements therein. Associated with the feed wheels 48 and shaft 50 is a bar 54 positioned above the shaft and secured in a rigid assembly therewith, serving as a means for grasping by the hand for lifting the feed wheels. Upon rotation of the feed wheels 48 in appropriate direction (counterclockwise as viewed in FIGURE 2) the top copy sheet 33 is frictionally gripped thereby and fed from the top of the stack into the machine as indicated by the single copy sheet designated 38a.

Rotation of the feed wheels 48, as well as movement of other moving parts of the duplicating machine including the roll 34 and drum 20 which are positively driven, is effected by the motor 24- and suitable drive transmission means, as disclosed in detail in the patent mentioned above. The drive transmission means efiective for driving the shaft 50 terminates in a gear 65 (FIG. 3), having connection with the shaft 50, as brought out in detail hereinbelow.

The assembly including the shaft 50 and bar 54, in the operation of the machine, is adapted to be lowered by gravity, the feed wheels 48 resting on the top copy sheet of the stack. This position is shown in FIGURE 2. As the stack is depleted the assembly lowers with the feed wheels constantly bearing on the stack and engaging the top sheet thereof. Upon removal of the last copy sheet from the feed table the feed wheels drop into a trough or groove 66 formed in the feed table 49. In loading copy sheets in the machine in normal use thereof, the operator grasps the bar 54 and lifts the assembly including that bar and the shaft 56 to an uppermost position in which the bar engages the upper edge of the slots 52. The as sembly is latched in such position as disclosed fully in the above mentioned patent, and while in that position a stack of copy sheets is placed on the feed table in the position shown in FIGURE 2; thereafter the assembly is released and let down on the stack to the position shown in FIGURE 2 in which the feed wheels engage and rest on the stack.

The assembly including the shaft 50 with the feed wheels thereon and the bar 54 is mounted for its up and down movements on pivoted arms on opposite sides of the machine, one of these arms being shown at 68 in FIGURE 3 and the other at 69. The arms are positioned on the outer sides of the respective side plates 18. It will be understood that these arms are mounted on a common horizontal transverse axis as shown in detail in the parent application.

The feed wheels 48 are preferably two in number and for best effect they should engage the copy sheets adjacent the side edges thereof. A feed table of a kind well adapted for use in connection with the present invention and as disclosed in detail in my copending application Serial Number 795,699, filed February 26, 1959, now Patent No. 3,029,074, issued April 10, 1962, includes adjustable side guides 1-44 (FIG. 1) for engaging the side edges of the copy sheets placed on the feed table. These side guides are adjustable transversely of the feed table and in order to provide for the desired position of the feed wheels as indicated above, the latter are made adjustable along the shaft 50 by means of a novel construction embodied in the present invention. The positioning of the feed wheels 48 in relation to the width of the particular size of copy sheets being used has certain relation with the degree of pressure imposed on the feed wheels under the control of the pressure control means disclosed and claimed in the parent application. The copy sheets are normally engaged at side edges by sheet release control means for restraining all but the top copy sheet from being fed from the feed table, in a single feeding operation. As mentioned above, the pressure applied to the copy sheets according to the present invention is selected according to the weight or thickness of the copy sheets since a greater pressure intended for a heavy copy sheet may cause feeding of more than one light copy sheet at a time, while a lesser pressure intended for light copy sheets may be ineffective for feeding a heavier sheet. In addition to providing the desired selected pressure, for best results in feeding, the feed wheels 48 should engage the copy sheets adjacent the side edges thereof or at locations transversely adjacent the means for controlling the release of the copy sheets. Accordingly, the sheet wheels 48 are made adjustable along the shaft 50, as stated, by novel means shown in detail in FIGURES 3 to 10, inclusive.

The shaft 50 includes the cylindrical portion '76 referred to above and the main central portion indicated at 144 is polygonal, and preferably square, in cross section. The cylindrical portion 76 may be larger than the greatest cross sectional dimension of the square portion 144; at the opposite end is another cylindrical portion 146 which is no greater than the side-to-side cross sectional dimension of the portion 144-, and preferably is substantially equal thereto. This cylindrical portion 146 forms a means for mounting that end of the shaft in the hub member 78, as well as to facilitate insertion of that end of the shaft into the central holes of the feed wheels, the feed wheels being removable from the shaft as described hereinbelow. The cylindrical portion 146 is fitted in axial bore 143 in the hub member 78 and is held therein against axial displacement by means of a removable securing means 150 which includes a pin 152 secured at the central portion of a clip 154. The clip 154 is of spring material and has side arms of arcuate shape releasably engaging around the hub member 78 with the pin 152 projected through a transverse hole 156 in the end of the shaft and aligned holes 158 in the hub member 78. Removal of the securing means 154} may be effected by flexing the side arm portions of the clip 154 outwardly and removing it from the hub member, withdrawing the pin 152 from the holes 156 and 158. The shaft is permitted axial movement in the arm 63 to remove the cylindrical portion 176 from the hub member 78.

The feed wheels 43 are preferably of rubber or rubberlike material for providing a high degree of friction with the copy sheets for assuring removal of the copy sheets from the stack. If desired the peripheral surface of the feed Wheels 4-3 may be ribbed or serrated for increasing their friction with the copy sheets. The feed wheels may be of any desired size and proportions and each has a central axial hole 160 therethrough (FIGURE 8) of polygonal shape corresponding to that of the portion 144- of the shaft, or square. The hole is also similar in transverse dimensions to the square portion of the shaft, but the material of the feed wheels is highly resilient and at any given time this hole may be stretched to a size greater than that of the shaft, and it is so stretched by the inserts 162 which are placed in the wheels and interposed between the side surfaces of the holes and the shaft. These inserts 162 are preferably steel strips having a central elongated portion 164 and an end portion 166 at each end turned transversely to the main portion; these end portions may be slightly tapered as indicated in FIGURES 4, 7 and 8. These inserts are placed in the hole in the wheel with the central elongated portion 164 extending axially and fitted flat to the corresponding side surfaces of the hole with the end portions 166 engaging the side surfaces of the wheel and directed radially outwardly. Preferably, the side surfaces of the wheel are provided with recesses or cavities 168 as shown in FIGURES 5 and 8 of suitable dimensions for snugly receiving these end portions 166 and establishing an outer flush surface containing the surfaces of the wheel and the outer surfaces of the end portions.

These inserts may be of a width similar to or slightly greater than the transverse edge dimension of the hole in contracted condition of the wheel and when inserted in the hole with the wheel oft" of the shaft in the position indicated in FIGURE 7, the edges of each insert may be lapped With the edge of adjacent insert, in one direction. The wheel is placed on the shaft by inserting the small cylindrical portion 146 into the hole defined by the inserts. The cylindrical shape 146 facilitates insertion of the end of the shaft into the hole, enabling cocking or canting positions of the shaft and Wedging the inserts outwardly as the cylindricai portion is forced into the hole. The diameter of the shaft portion 146 being substantially equivalent to side-to-side dimension of the square portion of the shaft, forces the inserts radially outwardly and positions them so as to facilitate insertion of the square portion into the hole. Upon outward expansion of the inserts the material of the wheel is expanded, or stretched outwardly to a position indicated in FIGURE 4. The relative relations and dimensions of FIGURES 4, 7 and 8 are slightly exaggerated for convenience in depicting the effect produced, the object 'being to show that the square portion of the shaft expands the material of the wheel substantially so that high friction engagement is established between the inserts and the shaft. The inserts and shaft being of rigid material enable the feed wheels to he slid along the shaft upon application of appropriate pressure as by the hand, as contrasted with the objectionable dragging effect produced between rubber and steel. However, the contrasting eifect of the resilient material of the wheel is suificient to establish such high degree of friction between the inserts and shaft as to provide the necessary gripping effect to retain the feed wheels in set or adjusted position against ordinary forces involved in the use of the machine.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing any of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely 6 noted, comprising a shaft of generally uniform polygonal cross sectional shape, a wheel of uniform resilient material having a central hole of similar cross sectional shape, and rigid, relatively low-friction inserts interposed directly between all the corresponding surfaces of the hole and shaft, the hole being sufficiently small whereby the material of the Wheels contracts inwardly and maintains said inserts in friction engagement with the shaft but enables the wheels to he slid along the shaft upon application of external pressure.

2. The construction set out in claim 1 in which the inserts have radially outwardly directed tabs at their ends engageabie with the side surfaces of the wheel and operating to restrain the inserts against axial displacement and retaining them in position in the wheel.

3. The construction set out in claim 2 in which the wheel has recesses receiving said tabs and the axially outer surfaces of the tabs are substantially flush with the corresponding surfaces :of the wheel.

4. The construction set out in claim 1 in which the shaft has a main portion of polygonal cross sectional shape and a portion at one end of cylindrical shape of a diameter similar to the side-to-side dimension of the polygonal portion.

'5. The construction set out in claim 4' in which the polygonal portion is square and the cylindrical portion is of a diameter equal to the side-to-side dimension of the polygonal portion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,599,700 Davidson Sept. 14, 1926 1,636,129 Going July 19, 1927 1,900,102 Going Mar. 7, 1933 2,356,842 Helmond Aug. 29, 1944 2,892,646 Doble June 30, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,998 Great Britain Sept. 24, 1958 

1. SHAFT AND WHEEL MEANS OF THE GENERAL CHARACTER NOTED, COMPRISING A SHAFT OF GENERALLY UNIFORM POLYGONAL CROSS SECTIONAL SHAPE, A WHEEL OF UNIFORM RESILIENT MATERIAL HAVING A CENTRAL HOLE OF SIMILAR CROSS SECTIONAL SHAPE, AND RIGID, RELATIVELY LOW-FRICTION INSERTS INTERPOSED DIRECTLY BETWEEN ALL THE CORRESPONDING SURFACES OF THE HOLE AND SHAFT, THE HOLE BEING SUFFICIENTLY SMALL WHEREBY THE MATERIAL OF THE WHEELS CONTRACTS INWARDLY AND MAINTAINS SAID INSERTS IN FRICTION ENGAGEMENT WITH THE SHAFT BUT ENABLES THE WHEELS TO BE SLID ALONG THE SHAFT UPON APPLICATION OF EXTERNAL PRESSURE. 